Stupid Cupid
by Kiome-Yasha
Summary: Jack and Merida have been working together for a few years now in the publishing industry at Guardian Fate. They had a routine, arguing day in and day out, tolerating each other for the most part. However, after one fateful phone call from her mother, things quickly began to change. Jarida AU.
1. On Your Mark

Disclaimer: "I do not own Rise of the Guardians, Brave, or any other Disney/Dreamworks/Animated films. All rights belong to Dreamworks and Disney, etc."

Chapter 1 On Your Mark

Merida groaned from the sound of her alarm going off, and to make matters worse, so did her phone. The sun faintly peeked through the closed shades of her bedroom, alerting her that that a new day had arrived. She didn't bother picking up the phone, already recognizing the ringtone to be that of her mother's. It held a dark tune similar to that of Darth Vader's from Star Wars. Whatever it was that she was calling her about could probably wait until later. She had more important matters anyway, getting ready for work being one of them.

Tossing her sheets to the side, Merida stretched her limbs widely to the warmth of the sun. She cracked her back, taking the moment to turn off her alarm. Pondering a bit to herself, she got up and quickly prepared her morning routine. She entered the bathroom, and got out of her shorts and tank top. The faucet to the shower squeaked when she turned it on, causing her body to shiver slightly from the burst of running cold water. Immediately bringing up the temperature to a more satisfying degree, she began to brush her teeth. It felt natural and great to be home alone, especially like this. She gave a soft hum, enjoying the heat from the steam that was gathering around her from the shower.

The moment was destroyed though when her phone started to go off again inside her room. She sighed heavily in annoyance, ignoring it once more. Seriously, didn't she know what time it was? Granted, Scotland is only few hours ahead compared to New York's time, but still.

"Gah, Mother, just give it a rest," she muttered while brushing her teeth.

The phone went silent once more. Merida smiled with approval, hoping for it to remain that way—though that was just wishful thinking on her part. When it came to a certain assistant, her job as Chief Editor and Publisher for Guardian Fate could never be peaceful—and that was a fact she was going to realize all too soon.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Merida made it through the bustling crowd with a cup of Starbucks apple chai latte in her hand. She entered the sliding doors to her building, giving a short wave to the employees who worked there. The elevator door was already opened when she slipped in, taking a sip of her tea when it closed. When she reached her floor, everyone greeted her with respect. Sometimes being the boss of her own company felt uncomfortable to her—it wasn't something she was used to. Her mother was always the authority figure when it came to their family's background, so it felt sort of odd. She never thought to achieve such a position or career. It was nice, but it also felt awkward. She was just trying to be herself; she didn't need the attention besides that.

She walked through everyone's booths, greeting them with a wide smile while taking out an apple from her bag. She took a large bite from the dense fruit, letting out a loud crunch. Apples were her favorite delight in life, and she slurped up the juices happily from the taste. Walking pass one office in particular, she scowled. She was known to be late on occasions herself, but this was getting ridiculous.

"Hiccup?" she asked the attendant beside her, "Where's Jackson?"

He gave a nervous smile. "It appears he's running late again, Ms. DunBroch."

She sighed from his formality. "How many times do I have to tell you? You can just call me Merida." She placed a hand on her hip, obviously annoyed. "What could be taking him so long? He was doing fine during the summer arriving early."

"I'm sure he'll be here soon," he said, taking the time to pass some files to her, "In the meantime, these are some of the stories we managed to edit from your approval. All we need now is to properly select a cover for them to get published."

She nodded and took them from his hands, heading towards her office. "Thanks, I'll be sure to look over these. In the meantime, tell Mr. Overland to come see me when he arrives."

"Yes, ma'am…uh…I mean…sure thing, Merida!" he exclaimed, halfway in a panic.

She decided to ignore the correction he made, her focus being more on the files in her hands. They looked good compared to the mistakes they had before, mentally matching covers for the clients' interest. So far, the morning seemed normal and productive. However, once she entered the privacy of her office, her cellphone went off. Merida sighed irritably from the sound, knowing already who it was. That was about the twentieth time her mother had tried to call her—it was becoming difficult to ignore her. It must be something important for her to call her like this. Surely it could wait after work though, right?

She seethed and rubbed her temples, praying for the noise to stop. She had enough stress as it was from work, she didn't need family matters to be added on top of it. To make matters worse, her assistant was late—having no clue why.

Punching the surface of her desk, she shouted, "Where the _**hell**_ is Jackson?"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Mary, you awake yet?" Jack shouted over his shoulder, pouring some Lucky Charms inside a bowl for her, "We're going to be late!"

Jack's sister yawned and walked into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes tirelessly. She was wearing her pajamas still, much to her brother's horror.

"You're not dressed yet?" he asked, "Did you even brush your teeth?"

"Look who's talking," she said with half-lidded eyes, "Your shirt isn't even buttoned up." She pointed at his chest, his tie loosely wrapped around his neck.

He sulked at her comment, knowing the only reason she picked up such sass was because of him.

"We got to go!" he exclaimed, rushing forward and grabbing her from her armpits.

They went inside the bathroom, and he quickly shoved the toothbrush in her hand.

"Here, brush your teeth. I'll lay your clothes out on your bed," he said, buttoning his shirt when entering the hallway.

"You're going to be late either way," she shouted.

"Uh, yeah, _**trying**_ to avoid that!" he countered.

He collided into the cabinet that had in the hallway, knocking down some picture frames that were placed neatly on the shelves. Jack hissed from the pain, rubbing his shoulder when realizing the photo he dropped was that of their parents. He frowned at the picture, a wave of memories hitting him. Quietly picking it up, he placed it back on the shelf where it belonged.

"I'm trying," he whispered to them.

Trying not to delay any further than he already had, Jack entered his sister's room and selected an outfit that would best suit her for her first day back to school. He nodded with approval and headed back into the kitchen. When he saw what time it was, he mentally screamed. There was no way Merida was going to go easy on him today—though honestly at this point—he didn't care. He liked the challenge; it gave him an opportunity to pick on her.

In about five minutes, Mary returned fully dressed and ready for the day. She climbed onto her chair and stared at her breakfast with disappointment.

"Cereal again?" she asked.

"It's the only thing I had time for to make," he said with guilt, "If it makes you feel any better, I don't even have time for breakfast myself."

She forced a smile to reassure him. "It's okay, I know how demanding work has been for you lately, so I'll try to make this quick."

He exhaled with appreciation. "Thanks, Emma. Now eat your cereal so we can go."

She saluted at him. "Aye, aye, Captain!"

Jack silently watch his sister eat, taking a moment to look over his story he made for work. It was stapled together and neatly typed, giving him the approach he needed to look professional. There was no way he could fail, but he kept trying to make sure it was perfect for his devil of a boss's approval. Each time he tried to present it to her, she had shut him down. Apparently the concept wasn't believable enough for children to grasp. What was so hard for children to understand? It was about a spirit wanting to be noticed and believed in by children, while knowing other fictional icons. These days, it was something everyone seemed to need lately, even her.

Mary dropped her bowl down on the table when she finished drinking all her milk. "All done," she announced cheerfully.

"Alright then, let's go," he said, already taking off to the door when gathering his things.

They left out of their small apartment that was located in the Bronx of Riverdale. The neighborhood was lively with people rushing either to school or to work. It was a bustling area they called home, containing many familiar faces. Jack got on his motorcycle, passing a smaller helmet for Mary to wear. She climbed behind him and fastened her arms tightly around his waist.

Jack turned on the ignition and pulled back the kickstand. "You ready?" he asked, slipping on his own helmet.

Mary nodded. "I'm ready!"

"Okay then!" he shouted, putting force onto the throttle, "Hold on tight!"

He took caution when taking off down the road, making sure his sister was safe when doing so. If their parents were still alive, God knows what they would say. They were always protective over Mary, and seeing her on a bike wasn't something they had approved of. Jack had earned his license at a young age, never been comfortable driving a car. He liked the speed the two-wheeler had; giving him the freedom he needed to feel the wind on his back. It was still warm outside, despite the calming cool air of fall approaching. He took advantage of the weather while he could, knowing it meant taking Dad's old car later during the winter.

It's been five years already since they passed away, and the memory was still fresh inside Jack's mind. Mary was too young to understand because she's always had him; but the accident had affected Jack in more ways than she could ever know. Ever since then, he's been more of a secondary parent than a brother. He had to grow up, but did his best to maintain his youth by the career he chose. He was always fond of children, and making children books was the path he thought fitted him best. Then again, he also hung out with kids, which made his research quite inspirational. Honestly, he wondered if his boss had such experience with kids to be the person she was. It was hard to tell, given her rough exterior—she was no Rapunzel—that's for sure.

Before long, he made it to Mary's school—just in time too—though he couldn't say the same for himself. She let go of Jack's waist and slipped off his bike, already spotting her friends.

"Sorry for making you late, Jack," she said.

He shook his head. "Don't even worry about it. I'm sure the she devil will get over it."

"Come on, she can't be that bad, is she?" Mary inquired curiously.

"Well, she's a tough one, that's for sure, but…" he stopped and continued in a more positive viewpoint, "She does make things rather fun and interesting."

She giggled. "That's what I thought." She heard the school bell ring, quickly running off. "I'll see you after school!" she said.

"Say hi to Jamie and the gang for me!" he shouted.

"I will!" She disappeared inside the building, giving him the signal to leave.

"Alright then," he whispered with a sigh, "Time to make the donuts."

He turned on the engine, allowing it to purr back to life. Rolling his shoulders, he let go of all restraint and sped off. Without his sister to worry about, he could finally focus in trying to get to work—hopefully he won't be punished for it. However, with a certain Scottish redhead in charge, he found it most unlikely.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Merida went over Rapunzel's portfolio first before Ana's. They had similar but different style when it came to their artwork—all unique and colorful. It was always hard to decide between the two, which was why she always had Jack around to help her. Speaking of Jack, he was now over an hour late—which was more than his usual time.

Merida tapped her fingers impatiently against the mahogany table. "Just where is he?" she seethed.

She paged her secretary, trying to keep calm. "Mavis, is Jack here yet?"

"No, Merida, and I suggest you stop asking for the tenth time," she said with exasperation, "I'm sure he'll get here soon. In the meantime, why don't you pick up your phone, I can hear your mother calling all the way over here."

"I don't want to," she answered childishly, "Why don't you do the same with your father?" she questioned back.

"Okay, this conversation is now over. I'll let you know when he arrives," she said, instantly hanging up.

Merida eyed her phone, watching it vibrate across the surface of her desk. She snatched it angrily, and hastily put it into silent.

"There, that should do it," she said proudly.

She had lost count by the missed calls she received. It was a good thing her mother didn't own a cellphone, or else she would be texting her like crazy. They were all under pressure of the deadline they were facing ahead, and she couldn't afford any distractions. Family was important, but she left Scotland for a reason. It was hard, but it was something she hoped her mother was willing to understand. Merida always had issues with her mother, but they have come a long way in making peace with each other. All she needed now was her mother to send her back home just because she was still single. True, she was entering her mid-twenties, but she accomplished a lot without needing a family to worry about. She had to prove to her that she could handle everything on her own, despite loving her so much. She had worked hard to get where she was, and didn't want to fail her without knowing things could be a success. If not, why the hell did she come to America for?

Snapping her out of her thoughts, her phone beeped of an incoming call from Mavis.

She immediately accepted the call. "Yes?"

"It's Jack, Merida, he's here," she said.

She gave out a sigh of relief. "Finally, send him to my office after he settles in."

"Right."

Merida got up from her seat, carefully adjusting her suit. She hated dressing up all formal like this, but at least she had a choice not to wear a dress. Though it wasn't too bad, considering she was able to dress casual on most days in the office. Still, she had an image to keep, and some days she wasn't able to be so lucky—not with the board of directors being around during deadlines.

The door to her office opened, and Jack appeared with a casual grin on his face. "Hey there, princess. Missed me?"

She put her hands on her hips, clearly not amused. "Jack, where have you been? You're like an hour late! You know we have business to discuss!"

"Yeah, yeah, sorry about that," he said, making his way over to her, "Deadlines are end of this year right? So let's just get to work. Besides, not like you don't have moments in arriving late."

"I just don't get how you're early throughout all of summer, but now, it's a problem for you."

He sighed. "Well, maybe it has something to do with the fact I have a sister that needs to go to school in the morning."

"So? Can't she go by herself? Isn't she old enough?" she asked, "Can't treat her like a baby forever, Jack."

"Merida, how old do you think my sister is?" he questioned, actually curious.

"I don't know…twelve?"

He sighed, biting the inside of his cheek. "Unbelievable."

"Just be lucky I don't fire you for it!" she exclaimed hotly, "Now help me decide which covers to go for."

He folded his arms across his chest. "Not until I get coffee. I sort of missed out on that while trying to get to work."

"Are you being serious?" she asked.

He gave her a deadpan look. "Yes."

"Agh! Fine!" She pressed a button to her phone, surrendering to his request. "Hiccup, can you please run downstairs and get Jack his usual. It's the peppermint mocha."

"Right away, Merida!"

She cut off the call, motioning her hands in exasperation. "There. Happy?"

"Very," he said with a smile, "By the way, how did you know that was my usual?"

"I don't know, does it really matter?"

Left intrigued, he decided not to probe.

"So what are we looking at here?" he asked, examining the portfolios carefully.

"It's Rapunzel's, and Ana's works," she answered.

"Hmm, do you have the stories to match with them?"

"Uh, sure, hold on." She turned to fetch the files that were left on the table, her office phone soon going off.

It kept ringing, but she made no sign in answering it.

Jack cocked an eyebrow, and asked aloud, "Um, aren't you going to answer that?"

"No, it's not important," she said.

He sighed and shrugged. "Okay, if you say so." He fingered the binder inside his hands, taking the opportunity to speak, "Um, Merida, if you don't mind. I actually want to talk to you about something. It's about my story."

"Is it the same one from before?"

"Actually, yeah."

"Not interested then."

"What? Why not?" he asked with a bit of tension in his voice.

"Because, I told you already Jack, kids need something more realistic than a spirit who wants to be believed in," she said with a fatigue sigh, "This day and age, such fairy tales aren't what kids are looking for."

"Oh like you know," he said with a glare, "Geez, sometimes I wonder why I even bother being your assistant. It's not like you actually listen to me. Kids actually like what I got here, I even asked my sister and her friends. So why can't you just give me a chance to prove that?"

"That's nice, Jack, but again, I don't see it making any sells," she reprimanded, "So unless you have something else in mind, I suggest you don't even bother showing me it."

An awkward silence fell between them, and Merida couldn't help but frown from her behavior.

"Sorry, I'm just under stress," she said.

"Aren't we all?" he answered, unable to sympathize.

"It's just…"

He actually stood stun for a second from the tone inside her voice. It was rare, and it scared him a bit.

"Careful there, Red. You're soft side is showing, wouldn't want to ruin your image," he warned playfully.

She sulked at him. "Just what kind of person do you take me for?"

"Do I really need to answer that?"

Her face grew hot with anger, and the temptation to throw something at him was nearing its peak. Luckily, Hiccup came in to save the day before she could do so.

"Mocha peppermint like you requested!" he declared.

Jack took it gently from his hand. "Thanks, bud, going to need it."

Merida walked around her desk and sat down. "That will be all, Hiccup. You can leave now."

"Right," he said, closing the door behind him when making his leave.

Merida placed her arms on top of her desk, folding her hands together in deep thought. "Now, can we please get down to business while the day is still young?"

Jack glowered and decided to take a seat across from her. "Whatever you say, boss." He took a sip of his coffee, humming with delight from the taste.

Just before she could separate the files of the short stories that were given to them, her phone once again decided to go off. Jack got annoyed quickly from the sound, and seriously wished for it to stop.

"Okay, just who's calling you?" he asked.

"No one, just my mother. Like I said, ignore it." She separated some folders and handed a couple to him.

"Merida, you can't just ignore a phone call from your mother. Just how many times has she tried to call you already?"

She shrugged with the word guilt written across her forehead. "Um…I lost count?"

"That's it, I can't work like this." He reached forward and halted the mayhem of her phone—by doing the only solution possible—answering it.

"What are you doing?" she half-shouted amongst a forced whisper, twitching her hands up anxiously with gritted teeth.

"Hello? Merida?" Her mother's voice could be heard on the other line. "Are you there?"

"Take the damn phone," Jack ordered, forcing it inside her hands.

"No!"

"Merida!"

"Hello?"

They both became quiet, staring at each other with tension in the air.

"Talk to her," Jack calmly demanded, "It's not right to ignore her like this."

"Merida, are you there, lass?" her mother asked through the phone.

"Jack, please!" she pleaded, "I can talk to her after work."

His expression fell into a deep frown before brightening into a full-blown smile. "Why hello there Mrs. DunBroch!"

Merida's face turned pale.

"Oh, hello? Who's this?" she inquired politely.

"I'm Jack, you probably never heard of me. I'm here with your daughter. Sorry for making you wait so long, but she's a bit under the weather. She looks terrible to be honest. I'm sure you can forgive her," he said, trying his best not to laugh at the death glare Merida was giving him, "She's such a forgetful girl, but I'm sure she would _**LOVE**_ to speak with you."

"Jack, I'm going to…._** kill **_you," Merida fumed quietly.

"Oh, that would be nice, thank you!" Elinor beamed, whispering over to her husband who was beside her, "What a nice young man."

Merida heard the compliment and couldn't disagree more. He gave her the phone, coxing it gently into her hands.

"You're welcome," he said with a devious smirk.

She silently cursed him to the seven layers of hell and decided to answer. "Uh, hello? Mom?"

"Well, you certainly don't sound sick," she said frankly.

"It's nothing, Mom. Why have you been calling?" Merida spoke casually, wanting to keep the conversation short and simple.

"Well, I have special news to tell you!" she answered excitedly, "But first, who was that young man that I was speaking to? He sounds quite handsome."

Merida blushed uncomfortably at the comment, especially when Jack was gazing intently at her.

"He's…." she started, her mother cutting her off.

"I hope you found a good man, Merida. It's been nearly six years since we've seen you. I had hoped to hear from you more since your recent promotion and position inside your company. I honestly hope leading such a business hasn't stopped you from finding love. I know you dislike talking about it, but I don't want to have to wait for the boys to grow up to be a grandmother. Plus, it's not good to be alone, especially in such a big country like America. I worry about you. We've grown so much since you were a teenager, but lately, I feel like I've been ignored," she explained dejectedly, "I hate to seem like I'm meddling, but I just can't help but be a mother either."

"You got it all wrong, Mother. I've just been busy. My life has completely changed since I left home."

"Oh, how so?"

"Well, you see, the gentlemen you were talking to is…well…he's my…." She couldn't even render her brain to think by the time the next words came out of her mouth; only that she wanted her mother to leave her alone. "…He's my boyfriend!"

Jack literally spit out his drink back into his cup, coffee spilling all over his chin and shirt.

"Excuse me!" he roared in aftershock.

Merida's face was completely engulfed with the shade of her hair. They were both speechless with no proper way to react.

"Please, tell me this is true?" Her mother asked.

"Uh, yeah, it is, we're actually pretty serious too. We've been dating for three years," she lied.

"What the hell are you _**doing**_?" Jack berated angrily.

Elinor cheered happily from the news though. "Oh, how lovely! I can't wait to see him then!"

"Wait, see him?" Merida inquired nervously.

"Oh yes! I almost forgot what I have called you for! We're going to America to come visit you! We already booked our flight and we'll be there this Sunday!" Elinor declared with a huge smile.

"_**What?**_" Merida shouted in horror.

"I know! Isn't it a wonderful surprise?" Her mother asked innocently, "We'll be there hopefully by noon at JFK airport. Please be sure to pick us up! I assume you have a car, right?"

Merida nodded lamely. "Uh…yeah."

"Then it's settled then! Oh! And be sure to bring your boyfriend with you! Jack, is it? Tell him I look forward in meeting him! Love you, dear! See you soon!"

Their conversation ended with a soft beep from Elinor's end, alerting Merida that she had hung up.

'_Oh my God…what did I just do? __**What just happened**__?' _she mentally screamed.

"Merida, what the hell?" Jack roared, "Now your family is going to come here thinking we're a _**COUPLE**_!"

She glared at him and did her best to apologize. "I'm sorry! I panicked! It's my mother! She has this way in getting to me, okay!"

Jack shook his head, refusing to be a part of her mess. "One thing is for sure, you're going to tell them truth when they get here! No way am I going to be your boyfriend!"

"You think I want you to?" she bellowed, "Just try to play along until they leave, please? I'm sure it's only a week or something. I just need this so my mother could get off my back in getting a husband is all!"

"Husband?" he choked.

"Gah! Don't worry! It's not like I'm going to tell her we're engaged or anything! Just that we're dating! We'll break up as soon as they go back to Scotland, I promise!" she said, praying he would cooperate.

He folded his arms across his chest. "I'm not doing it."

"What? Why not? What do you have to lose?" she asked, "Is pretending to be my boyfriend for maybe a week really so bad?"

"What if they stay longer, Merida? This is personal! I mean…this is your _**family**_," he said.

She flailed her arms up in frustration from the reminder. "Yes, I know! I get it already! You don't think I know how they are!"

"No, I honestly don't!" He sighed heavily, doing his best to settle his nerves.

They pondered deeply towards the situation, still practically in disbelief. A couple of minutes passed, and Jack finally came up with a decision.

"Okay, I'll be your 'boyfriend," he said while using quotation marks. Before Merida could say anything, he cut her off, "However, I expect to get something out of this, so I propose a ultimatum."

Merida rolled her eyes. "Should of known it wasn't going to be that easy. Fine, what is it?" she asked.

"You get to give my story a chance after this whole ordeal is over," he answered firmly.

"What? No, forget it!"

He shrugged passively, turning around to make his leave. "Well then, good luck in telling your mother the truth."

"No! Wait!" She raised her arm to stop him. "It's a deal," she whispered in defeat.

"Glad you could see it my way," Jack said with a satisfied grin, "Now, if I do recall. We have a deadline to plan for. So, where shall we start…babe?"

Merida cringed from the fake tone of sincerity inside his voice. Just what exactly did she get herself into?

End Chapter

Kiome-Yasha: "My first out of many ideas of Jarida stories coming to life xD. I'm going to have A LOT of fun with this one ;3. And it shall be rated M for REASONS that contains adult contents not suitable for children to read…besides perverts like me."


	2. Son of a Chopsticks

Disclaimer: "I do not own Rise of the Guardians, Brave, or any other Disney/Dreamworks/Animated films. All rights belong to Dreamworks, Disney, etc."

Chapter 2 Son of a Chopstick 

Fun and games was something Jack enjoyed in life. He had plenty of it, never letting himself get tied down to something trivial like responsibility or relationships. Sure, he had "girlfriends", but it was never anything serious. It was only natural for him to date—but to Merida DunBroch—that was something all too much. She was the only girl he knew that wouldn't take his shit or charms. How the hell they were going to pass in being a couple was beyond him. Granted, he's never met her family before, but he's heard stories. Her Father was once a member of the British Armed Forces who retired after losing his leg during an operation. From what he could tell of her mother, she was a politician woman—a respected one at that. To his shock, she even had three little brothers, triplets to be exact. This was no ordinary family he was getting himself mixed with; it was something way out of his league.

Jack waited outside his sister's school, dreading the words that will help explain his newfound relationship with Merida. It wasn't until this morning that he told her how much of a pain she was, calling her a "she devil". Now it was all just sweet words like: honey, sweetie, babe, or possibly his personal favorite to get her mad, Sugar Bear. At least there was some fun out of the deal, pet names being one of them—he could be grateful for that. Also, this was the perfect opportunity to trap her in getting to read his story. There was no way she could turn him down now; if she did, that would only mean more trouble for her.

He saw Mary charging out of the school with her friends, having just finished her last class for today. Jack smiled and waved at her when she spotted him from afar, feeling more at ease when seeing her. However, it won't be long until he needed to head over to Merida's place later. Apparently she wanted him to come over to discuss more about their little predicament. It was urgent for them to meet her mother's requirements of a three-year relationship. God, Jack could have literally smacked her for that. It meant double the work, and that wasn't something he was looking forward to. Hopefully they could pull it off though—it was something they both needed.

Thankfully, he managed to call Jamie's mother for help in letting his sister stay over for the night until he got back. The only thing left was to tell her about it.

Mary came over to him, catching her breath. "Hey, Jack! How was work today?" she asked.

He nudged his head to the side, shrugging uncomfortably. "Well, it was…. interesting, to say the least. I finally got Merida to agree in checking out my story," he said, starting off with good news.

"Oh my God! That's great!" she cheered.

"Well, there's a bit of a twist to it," he said sheepishly with a sigh.

She tilted her head with confusion. "Really?"

"Yeah, turns out I also got a new girlfriend today…it's Merida," he confessed sullenly, mockingly waving his hands, "Surprise."

It took her a moment to registrar what he just said.

"Wait…. what?" she exclaimed.

He scratched the back of his head. "It's sort of hard to explain, but I sort of got suckered into playing Merida's "fake" boyfriend."

"How did that happen?" she asked, still quiet shocked.

"Long story short, it has something to deal with her mother," he explained with exasperation, "Merida just couldn't keep her mouth shut, and before I knew it, I became her boyfriend who she apparently has been dating for three years."

"Can she really do that?"

"No, I actually had every right to refuse, but…I did it because it finally gave me the opening I needed for my story. If I could survive this and actually get it published, it'll be worth it…. I hope."

"How are you guys going to do this?" she asked.

"Well, her family is coming this Sunday from Scotland. We have to have things figured out by then," he answered.

"Jack, just what were you thinking?" she inquired with disbelief.

"I honestly don't know, but you know me…I do things before I think," he said.

"Yeah, it's how you always mess things up too," she added.

He sulked at his sister and rustled her hair. "Like I needed a news flash about that. Don't worry so much; I got things covered. Hopefully this whole ordeal won't take long. By the time they leave, we would have already broken up. See? No harm done. So just play along, okay? I'm going to try and at least fix a date for Merida to meet you before they arrive. We need to show some standards that were a serious couple."

"So unfortunately, I'm a part of it too, huh?" she guessed.

"Yeah, as of right now, you are."

As worried as she was, Mary couldn't help but be excited. "My brother and his boss, this is sure going to be fun. I'll do my best then!"

"Thanks," he said, smiling with appreciation, "I'm sure Mom and Dad would kill me if they knew I was doing something like this."

She giggled. "Pretty sure they would."

"Anyway, since I have to see Merida later, I called Jamie's Mom to let you stay over. At least until I come back to pick you up from their place. I'll try not to take long."

She nodded, understanding his plans. "What are you going to do now?" she asked, already knowing the obvious.

"I'm off to get my cheat notes in becoming Merida's boyfriend, and to get my book published," he answered simply with a playful chuckle, "Hopefully it won't get me killed along the way before I even get the chance to do so."

His sister giggled. "Can't wait to hear all about it when you get back."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Merida paced herself around her apartment while speaking to her father on the phone. She had called back, becoming worried of where they were going to stay during their visit—and more importantly—how long.

"You sure you guys will be okay staying at a hotel?" she asked.

"We'll be fine, lass," her father answered, "Nothing we couldn't afford."

"I know, but just wanted to make sure," she said.

"We didn't want to bother you. We know you've been working hard," he soon spoke with a mischievous tone, "Especially now that we found out you have a boy in your life."

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Mom told you, didn't she?"

"Aye, she wouldn't stop talking about it," he said.

"Great."

"Was it supposed to be a secret?" he asked.

"No, it's just, I didn't want to make a big deal about it," she answered honestly, "Not like we're engaged or getting married. He's just a…boyfriend."

"True, but to your mother, it's a life changing thing," he joked.

She sighed with annoyance. "I guess it was to be expected."

"Though I must admit, I'm pretty eager to meet the lad myself," he confessed, "Must be a real keeper if he managed to rope my own daughter to submission."

"Trust me, it's the other way around," she said confidently.

"Oh, is that so?" her father asked amusingly.

Just the thought of Jack actually winning her over with his charms boiled her nerves. There was no way she would ever allow it. It may impress all the other million girls out there, but not her. She was far more stubborn than that. Some may call it playing hard to get, but to her, it was all about respect. She wanted to be treated as an equal, not someone to be worshipped or looked down upon. Jack challenged her, never meeting a man who could rile her temper so much and live to tell about it. If anything, he took enjoyment out of it, almost like it was a game; and they were the only ones who knew the rules. Honestly, it irritated her beyond belief—for deep down inside—she secretly liked it. It was like playing with wild fire, either turning out for the best, or the worse. In the end, that's probably why she chose him—she was able to be herself.

The doorbell rang in the mist of her father's laughter. She paused and looked up from the sound as it repeated around her apartment.

"Dad, I got to go. I think Jack's here. I invited him over today," she said.

Her father fell silent. "Oh, I should…" he coughed, clearing his throat when he continued, "…leave you two alone then."

"He didn't come over because of that, Dad!" she exclaimed, her face turning completely scarlet.

He burst out laughing. "See you, Lass!"

"Bye," she mumbled.

They both hung up at the same time, giving her the chance to answer the bell. She walked towards the speaker and pressed the button to answer.

"Who's this?" she asked, wanting to make sure it wasn't some random person who got the wrong apartment.

"It's your darling boyfriend," Jack's said harmoniously.

Merida frowned from the tone inside his voice. "Come in, I'm on the third floor, you already know the number," she said drearily.

She pressed the button to unlock the entrance, giving him permission to enter the building. She waited for a bit, wondering if she should order food—assuming Jack ate already. It didn't take him long to make it upstairs, a knock soon coming from her door. She looked through the peephole to make sure it was Jack. His eye was zoomed right into the lens, making goofy faces that would surely catch her attention.

"Classy," she muttered, opening the door to let him in, "Took you long enough to get here. I just got off the phone with my Dad."

"Oh?" he said, casually entering her flat, "Did he say how long they were going to be staying here?"

"No," she answered sadly, "They actually don't know how long they're going to stay, just that they're coming to visit. I'm guessing they won't figure that out until they get here."

"That's reassuring," he answered bitingly.

She glared at him, gripping her hands into fists against her hips. "Let's just get this over with. I don't want you staying here long for my neighbors to start spreading rumors."

"Don't we want the rumors though?" he asked, "I mean, I am supposed to be your little boy toy."

"Boyfriend," she corrected firmly.

"Boyfriend, yeah, because that's so much easier," he said.

"Can you stop acting like this is a punishment? I'm still giving you what you wanted," she seethed.

"Oh that reminds me, here." He passed her a small binder containing his notes. "Here's the file to my story, hopefully you'll find time to read it. I did some adjustments, but I might make more changes in the future."

"Why? I'm stuck publishing it either way," she said.

He shrugged. "Still, I want you to see it. It's important to me."

She sighed. "Fine, if you really want me to." She opened the binder to examine it, never realizing he had taken off somewhere inside her apartment.

She looked up and was startled by his sudden disappearance.

"Jack?" she called out suspiciously.

"So, which drawer is mine?" he asked, shouting from inside her room.

She panicked when she heard a drawer being opened.

"What are you doing?" she shouted, pursuing his voice.

She entered her room and went into shock from what she saw. Jack was observing one of her underwear inside his hands, playfully stretching the elastic band with his fingers. There was already a good selection of her undergarments beside him, slowly emptying her drawer.

"Wow, these are pretty sexy," he commented deviously, "I mean, seriously, who knew you shopped at Victoria's Secret. And these bra sizes…" He picked one up and held it against his chest, "…Never expected you to be this big. Most of the time you look flat chested—must be the sports bras holding them puppies back."

Merida didn't have time to think, her rage taking over. She charged towards him, letting out a battle cry.

"Woah!" Jack yelped and avoided her assault, jumping over across her bed.

"Give those back!" she demanded.

He held his hands out in defense. "Chill there, firecracker! I was only just emptying your drawer out to make space for my stuff!"

"Why would you need to do that?" she asked.

"Merida, you told your mother we were dating for three year. I think she would assume some of my stuff is here when coming over. I mean; it's only natural. I'm just trying to make this relationship "believable". You don't have to kill me for it," he scorned.

She calmed down a little, but still kept her glare. "Well, you could have asked my permission first."

"Where's the fun in that?" he teased, sitting up on top of her bed, "Unfortunately I didn't bring my clothes, or anything tonight, but I'll be sure to drop them off tomorrow."

She crossed her arms over her chest and responded haughtily, "Aren't you making yourself _**too **_comfortable?"

He grinned like a child during Christmas morning. "Well, got to make the best of it, right?"

"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes, "Are you hungry?"

He was stunned for a moment from the unsuspecting question. "I could eat a little something," he answered truthfully.

She walked off out of the room. "I'll order us Chinese then while talking about our plans. I got the menu inside the kitchen, so find out what you want so I can order."

He nodded, leaning forward in an attempt to pick up one of her undergarments.

Merida whipped her head around and snapped. "Don't touch those! I'll put them away myself! I don't need anymore of your pervy fingers touching them than you already have!"

He glowered at her from ruining his fun. It didn't take him long to follow after her, carefully observing her furniture while walking into the kitchen. There was so much he wanted to explore, wanting to know what sort of home she had made for herself. He had to get to know her somehow besides work, and even though it was all pretend, he was curious of what it would be like to be her boyfriend. Call it a game all you want, but he knew things were going to be fun.

Merida slid the menu to 'Mushu Dragon' over to him. "Here, decide what you want to eat so I can order. I'm starving."

He picked up the pamphlet and scanned through his choices. "I'll stay simple and get the Beef Lo Mien combo with some Honey Chicken on the side. Oh, and some white rice. Ask for some extra sauce on the side, if you don't mind."

"That's simple?" she asked, obviously mocking him.

"Well, what are you going to order?" he countered snootily.

"I'm going to get my usual. They'll know when I tell them the address," she said.

"Wow, you order a lot from there huh? You must be a lonely person," he commented crudely, "That, or you don't know how to cook."

"That's not why!" she barked.

He decided to ignore her. "So, are we going to order or not?"

She grumbled at him and picked up the phone to place the order. Jack in the meantime took the moment to investigate the rest of her apartment. He strolled around her living room, reading off the books and DVDs she had stacked on her entertainment set. Scanning through some of the titles, he was shocked to see '50 Shades of Grey' to be amongst them. He took the book off the shelf, flipping through the pages with a humorous grin.

"You seriously have a copy of this?" he asked.

Merida put down the phone after finishing the order. She blushed heavily from the book in his hand, doing her best to act composed about it.

"What? Is that a problem?" she countered, placing her hands on her hips, "It's not even mine; Rapunzel just let me borrow it."

"Yeah, sure." Jack wasn't totally convinced, his smirk still visible to see. "So, what's your favorite part? I personally love the bondage scenes."

"You would," she whispered hatefully, "You look like a masochist type."

"Well, when dating you, I might have to be," he said.

"Is this a joke to you?"

"I'm just trying to have a little fun, Merida." He placed the book back, his tone genuine. "As crazy as this whole plan is, I want to make the most of it. Better than just moaning about it."

"It's not like I don't appreciate your effort, but, it just makes me…."

"Vulnerable?" he asked within a heartbeat, reading her mind like it was glass.

She kept quiet, not sure how to answer.

"Anyway," she spoke to change the subject, "We're only doing this because of my Mother. I wouldn't want to jeopardize our cover by making myself seem uncomfortable."

"Right, so let's get to it then," he said, taking the seat across from her inside the kitchen.

She breathed heavily. "I figured I should get to know your sister. We should at least get that much done this weekend before my family arrives this Sunday. It's why I called tomorrow off."

"That's great, boss, but what about me?" he asked.

"I called off tomorrow for you too," she said.

"Good, because I had the same idea as you do. I even told my sister about this little charade we're doing. Luckily, she doesn't mind. My Uncle North, however, is still in the dark. I want to try and keep it that way," he quietly declared.

"Ashamed to be with someone like me?"

He gave her look, somewhat displeased by that thought. "No, I just don't want to make things more difficult than they already are. Especially when it comes between our families. And honestly, that question should be the other way around."

She seemed insulted. "Why would _**I**_ be ashamed?"

He sighed. "Just forget it."

She frowned from his dismissal to answer.

"By the way," he started, "My sister has school tomorrow. I would make her skip, but she has a habit of not wanting to miss a day. The damn apocalypse could be happening outside and that girl would still go to school."

"Wow, I used to try to skip school all the time, though Mom would always catch me and force me to go," she said with a light chuckle.

"Same here." He laughed. "The point is, I think it would be best if you came by tomorrow in the morning to do the honors in dropping her off. It's a good chance for you guys to meet, at least to me."

She pondered over the idea. "Hmm, it does sound like a good idea, especially since we're off."

He smiled at the odd, but fairly cute gesture she did with her nose when thinking aloud—was it always that small?

"What are we going to do after we drop her off at school? Go shopping?" she asked sarcastically out of wit.

He looked up at the ceiling with his hand underneath his chin. "You know what, that actually sounds like a good idea."

"What? No! I hate shopping!" Merida declared in horror.

"Merida, we're not shopping for a dress, relax. However, I do think we need to buy each other gifts."

"Why?"

"Well, don't you think it's odd we've been dating for three years, and haven't gotten anything for each other? I'm sure your mother would be suspicious about that. We should have stuff that helps define our relationship somehow."

She hated to admit it, but he was right.

"Fine, I guess that's reasonable," she said.

"Yeah, and be sure to have a drawer ready for me tomorrow," he advised with a cocky grin, "I want to be sure to have some space to put my stuff in."

"Seriously? Do we _**need**_ to do that?" she exclaimed angrily.

"Oh stop it, just think of it as payback of me letting you see my underwear. I promise, they're silky and clean," he said with a wink.

Before she could retort in disgust the doorbell to her monitor buzzed, signifying that their Chinese food had arrived. Merida walked towards the door, and pressed the button to answer.

"Who's this?" she asked.

"Chinese delivery!"

"Oh, come right up!" She pressed the switch, allowing entrance.

Jack started to take out his wallet. "I'll pay."

"What? No, it's my apartment. So I'll pay," she said.

He looked at her for a second, putting his wallet away. "Okay, you're the boss."

She gave him a disgruntled look, realizing what he did. A soft knock came from the door.

"Delivery!"

Merida answered and took the bag from the kind man. "Thank you. How much is it?"

"Twenty-four dollars," he answered.

Just before Merida could pay him, Jack intervened and placed the money in the man's awaiting hand.

"Here you go, you can keep the change," he said.

The redhead was startled from his sudden offer, even captivated.

The deliveryman accepted the payment and nodded with appreciation. "Thank you, sir."

Jack waved and closed the door. "Now we can eat."

"You know, you didn't have to pay," Merida said begrudgingly.

He flicked her nose, causing her face to squint in shock. "Just be grateful little fox, this hound's got it. No need for formalities, it's weird coming from you."

She rubbed her nose, pouting the entire time when taking her seat at the table. They opened up the bags, taking out their own separate food. Jack examined Merida's before passing it to her.

"So, your usual is General Tso's chicken with pork fried rice?" he asked, taking out another packet from the back, "And fried dumplings? A lot of food for one lady."

She snatched the Tupperware from him. "Don't judge!"

He laughed. "I'm not judging at all! It's just good to see a woman eat than worry about her figure."

"Well, I work out, so doesn't come out too much of a surprise," she said, taking out a plastic fork.

"Plastic fork, huh?" he asked, breaking off the chopsticks they had left offered in the bag, "Don't like chopsticks?"

She opened the lid to her dish. "No, I um…" she began to stammer, "…I don't know how to use them."

He chuckled, holding his chopsticks perfectly while balancing his food. "Are you serious?"

She glared at him. "Yes, no need to make fun of me about it."

"No, it's just." He reached over, grabbing her fingers while placing chopsticks in her hand. "Here, just try it."

"I told you! I can't do it!" She struggled to pick up a piece to prove her point.  
"See!" she declared.

"That's because you don't have anyone around to teach you," he said, "And besides, last time I checked, you're not a quitter."

She frowned and bit the inside of her cheek, knowing he was right. He gently fixed her fingers into position, adjusting her hold on the wooden utensils.

"There, now try it," he said, "The trick isn't really so much on the grasp, as it is on how you hold it."

She surrendered and listened to his instructions, making a move for the rice. When trying to lift some into her mouth they instantly fell back onto her plate. Merida fumed from her lack of skills.

Jack smiled to reassure her. "Rice is a bit trickier. Try the dumplings instead."

She did as he said, succeeding in pulling one into her mouth.

"I got it!" she cheered with pride.

Jack was stunned by the childlike and triumphant response. It wasn't what he expected, but it was definitely something new that he liked.

"See? That wasn't so hard," he said.

She nodded and continued to test around with the chopsticks for her chicken. They ate peacefully for the rest of the night, almost like a real couple. Merida got the hang of the chopsticks for a bit, but after some impatient attempts at the rice she returned to her fork. Jack sat amused the entire time, poking fun at her every chance he could get. They managed not to argue almost throughout the rest of the night—something that surprised them both. Despite their differences at times, Merida was happy to have him over. Usually it was always a late night dinner eating microwave food and a cup of apple juice before bed. Jack actually made the night tolerable for her to enjoy it without feeling too much alone. Even though she won't admit it, she was grateful for his company.

After finishing her meal, she gave a soft yawn. "What time is it?"

Jack checked the time from her stove. "Wow, is it that late already? I got to go pick up Emma." Jack pushed his seat back and started gathering his things. "And you, young lady, should go to bed. You got to get up early."

"I do?" she asked, already slipping into slumber land.

"Hey, don't just sleep on the table!" he yelled, setting his stuff down, "Geez…"

He looked around for a sign, not sure if he should touch her. He was afraid she'd smack him if he did. There was no possible way to avoid it; he had to tuck her in. He walked around the table, adjusting her body and weight over to him. Merida was already halfway unconscious when he picked her up bridal style, carrying her over to the couch to lie down.

"You're heavier than you look," he said, lightly joking.

"Shut up, you're just too skinny and weak," she mumbled, soundlessly beginning to snore.

He carefully placed her down, grabbing a hand-stitched quilt that was hanging over her couch to put on top of her. He stared at the design, speculating the people on it to be Merida and her family. They were mostly all redheads, her mother being the only brunette it seemed. It was quite an odd feeling, especially when he was supposed to meet them soon—though honestly—he wished it were under different circumstances.

Merida cuddled herself under the warm silk blanket, feeling at home than she ever did before. Jack shook his head and smiled at the peaceful expression that came over her face. She truly was a handful, but like this, maybe she wasn't so bad. While she slept, he quickly and quietly began to clean up her table. He was dragging time by doing this, but he felt it was the right thing to do than leave her with a big mess. Once everything seemed spotless enough, Jack started to write down a note for her. He put down the address to his apartment, and carefully slipped the paper into the palm of her hand.

"Make sure you get up in time, or we'll be late. Remember, it's at eight," he said, "Goodnight, Merida."

He opened the door to her apartment, making sure it was locked on the other side before entering the hallway. He checked to see if she was still asleep, giving him the heads up that it was okay to leave. He gently closed the door, already eager for the next day to come.

End Chapter 


	3. Snow Globe

Disclaimer: "I do not own Rise of the Guardians, Brave, or any other Disney/Dreamworks/Animated films. All rights belong to Dreamworks, Disney, etc."

Chapter 3 Snow Globes

Mary patiently waited by the window, checking to see any cars that might match to the one her brother described. She frequently checked the time, counting down the minutes. It was already close to 7:30am, and there still was no sign of Merida. Jack kept calling her cellphone, occasionally letting out swears when she didn't answer. Knowing her, she was probably still asleep, forgetting all about their arrangement. At this point, he would have to drop Emma off on his own—not like the girl couldn't afford to be late, but still. He tried calling her once more, only to receive her answering machine.

"You reached Merida, sorry I'm not here to answer right now, but if you leave your name and number, I'll do my best to get back to you as soon as I can."

"Come on, Merida, pick up the phone," he said, hanging up the machine.

Emma jumped off the windowsill and walked over to him with concern. "Maybe she can't pick up the phone right now because she's driving?"

He scoffed, "Not likely." He put his phone down, giving up for now. "If she's not here by 7:40, we'll just leave without her."

"Have you tried texting her?" Mary asked.

"I've tried everything imaginable, Emma," he answered with a sigh, "Go figure the girl would give me trouble like this. Even last night she couldn't give me a break. I have to go shopping with her later; do you know that? The girl isn't even a girl as she is a hot mess. We'll probably be running around in circles trying to figure out what to buy for each other."

She giggled from the use of his words. "She sounds perfect for you then."

He blushed and glared at her. "Emma, that isn't even funny. This is Merida we're talking about."

"Yeah, and you talk about her more than anyone else. Even if your words are mixed with insults most of the time—you got to admit—it's a little strange that she's constantly in your thoughts," she answered with a sly grin.

He was caught off guard by her statement, ignoring it completely to be true. This wasn't a love story—this was reality. They weren't going to fall in love, or ride out into the sunset—things like that don't happen between people like them. They hardly even got along, and despite theories that might say otherwise, he just couldn't imagine Merida falling for a guy like him. All he did was test her nerves, and she made clear she didn't want a guy in her life. How could he ever be attracted to a girl who was basically the opposite of his type? It just wasn't possible. Even so, why was he actually willing to try? Sure, it was for his story, and maybe deep down, he thought it could be fun. He didn't want things to get heavy, not with her. People like them would only find someway to screw it up. They weren't like the film when Harry met Sally—they were just a dysfunctional pair made from a drunken cupid.

He countered the argument by being honest, going against her thoughts.

"Okay, I'll say this much, she is attractive; as far as first impressions go. Deep down though, she's nothing more than a spoiled brat who burns everything she touches. I don't think she even knows what having a boyfriend is even like. All I see is an abusive relationship thick and through. So as soon as this little charade of ours is over, we'll be nothing more than colleagues again."

"So you say…" Emma whispered, "I still can't wait to meet her."

"Looking at the time, I say this morning isn't your chance."

"Trying calling her again!" she commended.

"It's no use, just look at the time already!"

"Just do it, Jack!"

"Geez, why are you so eager to see her?"

She put her hands on her hips. "Why did you easily agree to be her fake boyfriend?" she asked.

"Stop changing the subject, you know why!" he fumed, pointing his finger at her.

"That still isn't enough, now just call her, or I'll _**really **_be late for school!"

"You are so going down for this later," he muttered, hopelessly surrendering to her demands.

Mary beamed happily from her success in outwitting her brother. It was always such a rare opportunity, claiming it each time when it was available to her. There was no way Jack was going to avoid Merida that easily. She could tell from the tone in his voice last night when he picked her up he had a good time visiting her. In a way, it's probably what spooked him. She knew her brother all too well not to be honest with his feelings. Behind that trickster of a smile was a kind heart, one he never liked to expose often unless it was in her company. Despite his effort trying not to seem attached, there was something she could sense when he spoke about Merida. It was almost like he couldn't keep himself away, no matter how much he tried. Maybe it came with the perks in being her assistant, but he just had this aura about him that spoke differently. Call it love or hate, but those two were bound to go somewhere down this road. It was only just a matter of time before fate will take its course, and when it did, she could only hope they were prepared for it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Merida mumbled in her sleep, wiping some of the drool that managed to slip passed her lips. Her eyes cringed in annoyance at the ringing she believed to be her phone. She tried searching for it with her hand, keeping her eyes closed the entire time. It was at that moment she realized the written note inside her hand. She opened her eyes, ignoring the sound of her ringtone to examine it. She cringed from the sunlight's gaze, carefully reading the message she believed to have been given to her by Jack.

'_Remember to pick us up by 7:30am to take Mary to school.' _The rest of the note was their address.

At that moment, her eyes slowly grew into saucers.

"Shit!" she shouted, her accent thick with panic.

She checked the time, reading it to be nearly pass 7:30am on her cable box.

"Oh Christ!" She dashed off the couch, not even bothering brushing her hair.

She changed her shirt and brushed her teeth, not really having time for anything else. She checked herself inside the mirror, passing her appearance with a shrug. The clock now read close to 7:40am, causing her to rush in faster. She took off out the door, not even bothering to make sure she had everything.

She bit the tip of her nail. "God, I hope I'm not forgetting anything…oh!" She slapped her forehead and ran to grab the note with their address. "Can't leave without this!"

She closed the door to her apartment, locking it from the inside. She sprinted down the hall for the stairs, not bothering to waste any time. It was a good thing she was kept in shape, because she made it down to her car in seconds flat. She couldn't even bother to call Jack to let him know she was on her way. She unlocked the door to her car, jumping inside while turning on the ignition. Not even bothering to look, she pulled out and prayed she wouldn't get pulled over for her speeding. In the meantime, her phone kept ringing, receiving text messages here and there asking where she was. Luckily she recognized the street where they lived, not really needing her GPS for directions.

It wasn't like it was a big deal to her, after all, this was only part of her scheme in convincing her mother that her and Jack were in a relationship. Even so, she felt like she owed it to them for agreeing to help her out. There was no way they were going to pass as a couple if boundaries weren't crossed. It wasn't like she expected to fall in love like some cliché romance novel—such things were unworthy of her time. Jack deserved someone who could actually treat him right and be equal to his standards. As much as she would hate to admit it, he was handsome—pretty—but handsome. Someone like her, who could only scheme in making him miserable wasn't even worth it. There were more suitable girls out there for him, and to be with someone like her, he would only be wasting his time. It wasn't like she was easy to deal with—she's always been like that.

Stopping at a red light, she began to wonder how Jack was able to put up with her attitude. Granted, he had his own shenanigan moments she could criticize about, but still. Either way, it was best not to dwell on it; too many feelings into the matter would only make her doubt herself. And last time she checked, she was Merida DunBroch—leader of her own department at Guardian Fate. It wasn't like she needed a man to get through the day in telling her who she was—much less that person being Jackson Overland.

After the umpteenth call, Merida picked up her phone, parking her car directly across the street from their address.

"I'm here!" she exclaimed.

"Well, it's about time," Jack said through the other line, "I was beginning to think why you even got a phone if you never answer it. Were you driving?"

"Yes, how else would I have gotten here?" she sarcastically replied, "I just parked across the street from you."

She could hear his sister in the back, telling him that she 'told him so'.

"I doubt you got up early and got stuck in traffic, but we'll be coming down now, keep the car running," he advised.

"Will do," she answered bitterly.

Merida hit her back against the seat after hanging up, blowing out a curl from her face. She waited with a pout, not even bothering to care if she looked like a slob. When she thought about it, she hadn't really showered since yesterday morning. She sniffed her armpits, checking to see if she smelled.

"Nah, I think I'm fine," she stated confidently.

Just then, a knock came from her door, spotting Jack with his sister. She unlocked the car, letting them inside. Mary climbed in through the back, noticing the multiple files and garbage in the back of Merida's car.

"Just push whatever is back there aside," Merida said gently.

"You sure?" she asked.

She nodded genuinely with a smile. "It's perfectly okay, most of the stuff back there is junk anyway."

Mary did as she was told, putting on her seatbelt after taking her seat. Jack sat pokerfaced next to Merida, studying her appearance with amusement.

"Nice bed hair there, Curly Sue. It looks fluffier than usual."

She glared at him. "Just tell me where to go."

He looked around their area, pointing behind them. "You got to go back that way, it's not far. Luckily we'll actually make it in time, despite a certain someone being late."

Merida pulled out of her parking area, ignoring his jab towards her tardiness. "Whatever, just say that we're even from yesterday, Mr. Peppermint."

He shrugged, not really paying any mind. They kept silent, grudgingly looking away from each other in fear of actually letting down their walls. Mary shifted her eyes back and forth between the two, becoming quite curious of the strange chemistry they had. Most girls she saw Jack with would be nervous or fond of his good looks and charm; she noticed though that Merida was different. It was almost like she was calm around him, almost like she wasn't afraid to pick a fight. When it came to her brother, Mary knew he liked a challenge, especially when it came to testing his own wits. She giggled with amusement—it looked like he finally met his match.

"By the way, it's pleased to meet you, Mary," Merida said with a smile, scorning Jack for his rudeness, "Your brother hasn't even introduced us yet."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, I figured you were vulgar enough to do it yourself," he answered spitefully.

Mary playfully hit the back of her brother's head. "Don't mind him, Merida. He can be very forgetful at times."

Merida gave out an affectionate giggle, falling for the girl already.

"He can be, can't he?"

"Yeah, and just to let you know, I definitely love your hair," she said.

"Her mop of a hair?" Jack asked in disbelief, "You can get eaten alive by that thing."

Mary kept her chin up. "Well I think it's pretty. It reminds me of roses."

"In a bush," Jack added mockingly.

"At least I don't care what I look like," Merida defensively countered.

He chuckled, finding that aspect about her quite inspiring. "That is true. It's one of things I admire at least."

Taken by surprised by that little confession, Merida almost lost sight of the road. She wasn't used to such a compliment, especially from someone who she thought hated her. Her cheeks became rosy, expressing the sudden rush of blood in her stream that was affected by his words.

Jack snapped her out of it though. "Hey, red light!"

Merida immediately slammed her foot onto the breaks, causing all of them to jolt forward in alarm. She let out a huff, biting the inside of her cheek in humiliation over her moment of weakness.

"Geez, were you daydreaming or something?" he asked scornfully.

"No, I was going to press the breaks! But you shouting out of nowhere freaked me out was all! " She answered fumingly.

"Well, at least we're almost there. We should be in front of the school as soon as you make this left turn," he said.

"In the meantime," Merida turned to Mary and asked with concern, "Are you okay?"

She smiled with a nod. "I'm fine."

Merida sighed with relief, patiently waiting for the light to turn green. When it did, she made the turn and parked in front of the school. There were a lot of students already making their way into the building, making it just in time before the bell rang. She shifted the gear into park, allowing herself to become distracted by her thoughts. Perhaps it wasn't a good idea for her to get close to them like this. It felt strange—she hadn't even asked Mary how she felt about everything yet. She truly was only thinking about herself through this ordeal than them. She practically forced Jack to be a part of her mess; so how could she not expect her to be upset?

Mary opened the door to leave. "Bye Jack, see you later!"

"See you, Emma. Have fun at school," Jack said.

She turned to Merida, waving at her. "I'll see you later too, Merida."

"Oh, yeah, sure," she answered hesitantly with a smile, "Take care."

She closed the door and ran over to her friends. Merida fondly stared off after her—to think Jack was raising her on his own—it was quite an astonishing feat.

"I must say, you've done a great job, Jack," she said without thinking.

"What was that?" he asked.

"I was referring to your sister, you're a real good guardian."

He eyed her suspiciously with a cocky grin. "Well now, is that supposed to be a compliment?"

She scrunched her lips. "Don't read too much into it."

He shrugged and chuckled softly. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"So what now?"

"This is the part where we go shopping, Sugar Bear."

"Eww, what kind of nickname is _**that**_?"

"It's a rather cute one. I think it fits you quite nicely."

She scowled at his humor.

"You don't have one for me?" he asked curiously.

"No, why would I? But I'm sure I'll find something vile for you to have."

"Oh, you're such a charmer."

"Let's just go already." She sighed.

They looked around, finding most of the students to have gone inside. Merida pulled out from her space and figured they would start by the market. They kept to themselves for the most part, Merida being the first to break the silence.

"So, how old is your sister Jack?" she asked.

"Well, she's not twelve," he answered musingly.

"Just tell me." She sighed irritably.

"Nine, if you really want to know."

"How long have you been looking after her…you know…since your parents died?" she asked, hoping she wasn't making him uncomfortable.

"Since she was four, why?" he asked.

"Oh…"

"Oh?"

"It's nothing," she said, shaking her head, "Sorry, I was just wondering. I didn't mean to pry."

"Wow, you're apologizing now too? You're really being sweet this morning," he said suavely.

She couldn't help but feel insulted by his accusation. "Do you really think of me that heartless?" she asked, raising her voice.

He was stunned by the hurt in her voice. "Relax, I was only kidding."

She frowned and decided not to speak any further until they arrived at their destination. It was so unlike her to be sensitive over a comment like that, but she couldn't stand the thought of being a monster. She remembered calling her mother a beast when she was young—knowing someone might actually see the same thing in her—it hurt.

Jack studied her expression the entire time with concern. He honestly didn't expect his remark to get to her like that. A part of him wanted to say something, but his pride got in the way of him doing so.

For the remainder of the ride, they just kept to themselves. They passed glances at each other, quietly contemplating on what sort of gifts they would get for each other. Jack wouldn't want it to be easy, and was actually curious what might actually make her smile. The same couldn't be said for Merida though who was restless about it. It's not like she had relationship experience like Jack; so how the hell would she know what to buy him? The fact that he's a guy, even made it that more difficult.

They parked when reaching the square with Jack offering change into the meter. It was pretty crowded for a Friday, making their little adventure almost like a hunt. Merida looked over all the brand-named stores, contemplating which to start with first. They should really shop together if they were to get this done quickly—shopping wasn't her forte anyway. Jack, however, proposed a different plan in mind.

"Okay, we can meet back here in two hours," he said.

"What?" she asked in alarm.

He smiled at her. "What? You didn't honestly think we should go shopping together?"

"Well, I did…think that," she confessed hesitantly.

"It be more interesting if we split up to shop, get to see what our relationship is really about," he explained.

"There is no relationship, just business," she berated anxiously.

"Don't be such a baby. I'm sure you don't need to hold my hand for something simple as this," he teased.

"Simple?" she exclaimed, "Just because you have flock of girlfriends at your feet, doesn't mean I'm capable of this!"

"Merida, you're more hardheaded than that," he said, "Think of it as a challenge. Whoever gives the most meaningful gift, owes the other dinner."

"Then I'm going to lose for sure," she muttered, blowing a strand of hair off her face, "I'm not one bit romantic, so how the hell am I suppose to know what to get?"

"I'm pretty sure that's not the case," he said with reassurance, "You'll figure it out, you always do."

He flicked her nose, going off towards the opposite side. "Catch you later, Fuzzy."

She squinted and yelled out with frustration. "Jack, get back here!"

Completely ignoring her, he waved his hand out and disappeared amongst the crowd. She received odd looks from her sudden outburst, blushing tremendously in embarrassment before swearing for revenge. The buildings towered over her, hiding her shadow from the sun. Guess she had no choice but to do this on her own. If there was anyone who was going to owe dinner, it was going to be him for leaving her like this. Sure she had doubt that she will actually succeed, but she had to try—no way she could miss her target now.

She took off towards the opposite direction, setting out for her hunt.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jack looked over his shoulder actually surprised to see that Merida wasn't following him. He chuckled to himself in amusement—the girl's pride was fiercer than he thought. Despite her reluctance, she was still willing to follow through. This was going to be fun, now he knew for sure that he couldn't hold back. Each shop he passed held no real significance towards the personality she held, or interest. The common accessory shops ideally for women did nothing to prove the fire she held. Merida was a female, but she definitely was no ordinary woman—she was going to be a challenge to please. Hell, he should just go out and buy her a weapon from some black-market alley shop and be done with it already.

He shook his head though—that just wasn't him. Jack had respect for women like Merida, despite her superiority complex. As much as it pained him to admit it, he did think she deserve something special.

That's when he saw it—right in the corner of his eye—a snow globe. There was an ornament of a red-haired girl inside. She was wearing a traditional renaissance dress, her hair a mess of curls that reminded him of Merida's. Trees with little bits of snow falling off them surrounded her. Her eyes were closed with a smile on her face, standing peacefully over a lake that was painted frozen. The design around the base was gold, showing off a hint of red to match with the color of her hair. It sat out in display inside a shop he wasn't familiar with. He scanned from outside the window, finding all source of odd trinkets inside. Everything read "Half-Off", so he was pretty sure there was good sales inside.

He felt suspicious, but decided to venture inside. "What do I got to lose?" he asked with an unpleasant sigh.

He passed through the door, a soft bell ringing above him. The store held a strange scent of wood mixed with mold, tickling his senses right away with uncertainty. No one seemed to be around, not even customers—maybe this was a mistake? He looked around the shelves, finding the shopkeeper to have a weird taste in bears. They all looked handcrafted, dust covering the air from the sunlight that beamed from outside. He stepped back in alarm when meeting a stuffed crow—it's eyes piercing straight into his soul.

Not long, it cawed, startling him instantly in a panic. Jack almost fell back from the sudden sound, letting out a yelp of surprise. Soon an elderly woman appeared, swatting the crow away for scaring such a valuable customer. The clothes she wore were old fashion and moth-eaten—he wouldn't even be surprised if she was a witch in disguise. She was short, and her nose stuck out like a beak. She patted his chest with a flirtatious grin, invading his personal space with a loving gaze that shivered his very core.

"Sorry about that!" she said, a little too cheerfully, "Didn't know we had a guest."

"Uh…" Jack took a moment to compose his thoughts, feeling a bit uncomfortable by her stare. "Are you the owner of this shop?" he asked skeptically, getting straight to the point.

"Yes, though my hobby is wood carving, I'm known to sell many things," she answered humbly.

"Yeah, you have…" Jack looked around and finished uncomfortably with a crooked grin, "…quite an eccentric collection."

"Ah yes, I do acquire good taste in what I make," she responded proudly with a hand to her chest. "Now dear, what is it that you're looking for?" she inquired curiously, her eyes large with wonder.

"Well, I'm not sure. I'm looking for a gift for someone," he said, hesitantly rubbing the back of his neck.

"Judging from your tone, it must be for someone you really care for," she said with a devious smile, "A lover perhaps?"

Jack blushed heavily from the accusation she made. "No, nothing like that!" he exclaimed.

"Well, would the dear like something like this?" she asked, giving him a carved ornament of a bear dancing on it's heels, "Or perhaps this!" she shouted in excitement, revealing more decors with bears on them.

Jack scratched his cheek nervously, not wanting to sound rude towards her choice of fetish. "No, I was actually thinking something similar to the snow globe you have out on display from your window," he said while examining the shelves with disappointment, "But it seems like you don't have anything else around here that's similar to it. Is possible to buy that one?"

"Oh, that old thing?" she asked distastefully, "It's not for sale."

"What?" he asked with disbelief, frowning deeply with his arms stretched out in annoyance, "Then why have out for display if it's not for sale?"

"Do you honestly believe everything is for sale in these stores? Much less, if you could actually afford it?" she questioned slyly, studying his face furiously for an answer.

He glared at the woman as if she was judging him. "How much is it then?" he asked.

"$500 dollars," she answered bluntly.

"What? Just for that?" he blared.

"I did say it was _**old**_, didn't I?" she queried, "What makes you think you're worthy enough to have such a thing, boy? Just because you're handsome, doesn't mean you can have it."

"I may not be worthy to have it, but there is someone I know who is," he defended somberly, firmly tightening his lips.

She noticed the glint of determination in his eyes. "Hmm, so it is a lover then."

Jack didn't even have the patience to deny it. "Look, isn't there someway to lower the price? Even just a bit? I mean, this girl is impossible to please, and I just need something to shut her up and know she'll never have me as just some guy who's willing to do everything she says, take her out on dates, or give her everything she needs. I'm not that guy, okay! I'm just someone who somehow got stuck with her, who wants to win a bet of who's buying dinner as payback for all the shit she's putting me through!"

Jack's rambling startled the woman, her own pet crow gawking in alarm.

"That is the most beautiful confession of love I've heard in years," she swooned, "In that case the price will be $485, my final offer."

Jack gaped at the woman with disbelief. He slapped his hand across his face and let out a restless sigh—he wasn't getting anywhere at this point. The woman was obviously mad, and negotiating with her seemed impossible—like fifteen dollars off really made a difference.

"Screw it, better than nothing," he said, surrendering quietly.

The wood carver rubbed her hands together with success. "Excellent! You have made a young woman happy, including myself."

Jack took his wallet and handed the woman his credit card. "Here you go."

Her crow actually snatched the card from his hand and slid it through the machine himself. When the receipt printed out, he passed the card back to him. Jack stood stunned from the whole ordeal, his mouth gaping open the whole time in bewilderment.

'_This place is weird,' _he mentally mused with a twitched eyebrow.

The shopkeeper in the meantime went to fetch his item, treating it with care. She handed it to him, directing her finger at the knob underneath the base.

"This is more than just a ordinary snow globe, lad. It's also considered a music box. The song comes from an old Scottish lullaby called "Noble Maiden Fair". It's a very rare item, if I do say so myself."

"Is that so?" he asked, "It's perfect for her then."

As if to test it, Jack carefully turned the knob in order to hear the tune. Right away, he imagined Merida singing it. The melody was familiar, like he heard her sing it many times before to herself while at work. She would be concentrating on something, and out of nowhere, start humming the same tune he was listening to now. Somehow, it soothed him, bringing him back to his own childhood with his parents—one he thought was lost.

"Thanks, Granny." Even though it was expensive, Jack did appreciate the help.

She gabbed his hand, looking right through him. "If you look deep enough, some things will be easier to understand than you think. Keep that in mind, young man." She gave her hand out. "Here, let me put that in a bag for you."

Jack did as he was told, still trying to decipher what she meant. She carefully wrapped the globe inside a box and pushed it into a plastic gift bag. There certainly was an unearthly aura about her, almost like she knew things that no ordinary person would believe. As odd as the shop was, he didn't regret coming inside. Jack took the bag from her and nodded with a smile to show his gratitude.

"Have a good day," she said, grabbing some woodcutter tools from the side, "Pleasure doing business with you." She sat down and skillfully began to carve into some wood, mindlessly singing to herself.

"Same here," Jack answered with an awkward smile, allowing her to resume her work.

He soon made his way out the door, sighing with relief when returning to the streets. "What a strange woman," he said.

Looking at his phone, he realized he had more time to spend. Now probably would be the best time to buy the stuff her mother would be expecting when it came to romancing her daughter. True, it wasn't her thing, but it was the least he could do—not like flowers or box of chocolate was going to kill her. Wouldn't hurt either to buy some sexy lingerie for her; at least so he can have his kicks.

"Hope Merida had better luck than I did," he said, "I just hope she liked what I got her."

He strolled over to the closest flower shop he could find, anticipating her reaction—more importantly—what she bought for him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Merida looked at gift she had just bought for Jack inside the bag. The face she wore grew sour with disappointment from the purchase she had made. She truly was hopeless; what she held was proof enough. A lava lamp—that was all she had to offer. What sort of present was that? She wouldn't be surprised if Jack just faked dumped her now for her lack of creativity. If only she could do better, but what the hell do you even buy for a guy? They weren't exactly simple; besides maybe offering them sex; but there was no way she was giving him that. Since sex wasn't on the table, taking him to a baseball game would probably be the next best thing for a guy. When she thought about it though, it really didn't seem all that sentimental. It has to be something really worth charming to his character.

She sulked where she stood, biting the inside of her cheek. She had an urge to scream out in frustration, but held herself back in order not to make a scene. Jack was practically a child than an adult—he was a rumbustious youth at best. She held the same type of nature—the only difference being—she held that freedom to herself. There was never a person around she cared enough to share it with, her family being the only exception. Other than that, she was pretty much guarded, keeping her weaknesses to herself. However, now was the time to bring down those walls—anything that will help her survive in being with him. They had to trust each other, and buying a gift was the first step in doing that.

Too bad for her—she failed at it.

'_Just what could I get that would make him happy?'_ she mentally asked, _'This just won't do.'_

There was no point in just standing around and brooding about it, so she began to walk instead. Hopefully, if she was lucky, she could find something else that will please him besides a cheap lava lamp. Nothing seemed interesting enough from the stores she passed. The windows reflected her disappointment rather than the items that were kept on display. There were a few antique shops, but nothing really stood out. Jack was rather picky when it came to music, so no point in going to a record store. When she thought about it, he was pretty much a simple person. The only problem being, she wasn't.

"Is there really nothing else here?" she berated hotly.

A glint caught her eye, causing her to squint. It disturbed her vision, leading her eyes to the source where it was coming from. Right across the street was a toyshop, the logo to the store bold and bright with the words "Santa's Workshop" written across. It was large, containing all types of gears and toys inside that gleamed brightly for any child's imagination to see. The colors that came from inside overshadowed the street, casting rays of rainbows that spread even to her eyes. Merida considered in going inside, hoping this was her chance to finally buy something worth giving to Jack. She looked around at all the other bland stores, deciding to take the risk.

She walked across the street, avoiding the cars that passed by. When she got closer, music could be heard. It chimed joyfully with trumpets and drums, reviving the youth inside her with excitement. She entered inside, instantly avoiding a plane that flew overhead. It was like being inside Santa's playroom, celebrating Christmas morning. Everything was lively, and children could be seen playing and giggling with the toys that were kept on display. She looked around in awe, and felt like she was in a dream. Trains passed through loops, traveling through the shop. Action figures could be seen prancing around as if they were alive, entertaining the children while they waited for their parents to finish shopping. It was enough to make any person happy, causing Merida herself to smile.

She strolled over a line of baskets with plastic weapons inside, becoming curious over the selection they had. Her eyes widened with delight when she spotted a toy bow in one of the slots.

"Wow, this takes me back," she said, lifting the fake weapon inside her hands, "Maybe I could get something like this for Mary."

She traced her fingers along the curve, remembering her childhood. She once had one just like this from her father when she was young—that was back when she used to live in Scotland. She never realized how much she missed home until now. Archery was her passion—to think it's been that long since she held one. She gripped the toy close to her chest, remembering the time when she would practice out on the field with her horse. She would wake up every morning, galloping through the hills with the rush of adrenaline inside her veins. It was like she could almost smell the meadow of her homeland, seeping into her like she never left.

Soon, a large and bulky man appeared behind her, smiling slyly at the fascination she held towards the plastic bow. His beard was white as snow, traveling down his large belly with laughter bubbling inside.

"Seeing anything you like, dear?" he asked aloud, startling her.

Merida panicked and almost took a swing at him, but stopped when noticing the friendly look in his eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just looking," she said with a short nod. She studied his features, blinking rapidly in bewilderment. "Um, are you the owner of this place?"

The man laughed aloud with pride. "Indeed I am."

She smiled awkwardly. "Wow, you really do look like Santa Claus."

"Most seem to believe that I am, especially the children," he mused. He titled his head and observed the bow in her hands. "You seemed lost in thought earlier, hope I didn't disturb you."

"Oh no, I was just remembering some things from back home," she said.

"Home, huh?"

"Yeah, originally I'm from Scotland."

"I see…that explains the accent. I know the feeling though, I'm from Russia."

"I had a feeling you were," she said with a warm smile, "Your accent sounded familiar."

"What's your name?" he asked curiously, "If you don't mind me asking."

She was wary at first in telling him, but did so anyway. "It's Merida."

"Merida…" he whispered her name as if to test it, "You seem to be around my nephew's age."

"Is that a fact?" she asked, "Hope you're not looking to pair me up with him."

"He's quite a ladies man, but you seem like the type that would be perfect for him," he explained with a cheeky grin.

"You have a weird sense of humor, old man," she said with a soft hum of laughter, "Sadly, I'm looking for a gift for someone. So I'm afraid I'm taken."

"Too bad, the boy really needs a gallant woman with your type of flare," he answered with disappointment, "Can't blame a old man for playing matchmaker. The boy is nothing but trouble, but I try to set what's right for him."

"Sounds like someone I know, believe or not," she humored.

"So what exactly are you looking for?"

"I'm not sure exactly. I was thinking of getting this bow for his sister, but honestly, my main goal was to find a gift for him," she said, hanging her down in shame, "All I was able to get was a lava lamp, which isn't really anything at all."

He lifted his eyebrow peculiarly at her. "You're really not good at this, are you?"

She gave a disgruntled sigh. "I never really had a boyfriend before," she admitted quietly, "So yeah, not sure how to go about this. He can be such a child to the point I question how old he is. I guess it's the reason why I thought to try and find something more suitable for him here. We just started dating, but it all just seems complicated."

The man known as North thought deeply over her situation. He was quite intrigued over the similarities his nephew Jack had with this man she was with. If they really were alike, this would be easier than he thought.

"You must really love this person to feel that way," he said, hugging his stomach, "I can feel it in my belly."

"What?" she practically shouted in alarm, her whole face matching the color of her hair, "It's not like that!"

"Then why are you dating each other?" he asked, becoming baffled.

She rubbed her arm, pouting irritably at the blush that just wouldn't go away. "Like I said, it's complicated."

"Either way, I think I got just the thing." He walked over to some boxes, selecting one amongst the top.

"Will this do?" he asked, hanging it up for her to see.

Merida examined the box curiously with a hint of doubt in her voice. "A town set?"

He came up to her face excitedly, his eyes sparkling with wonder. "One that comes with a rocket train set!"

"Uh…" Merida stared at him incoherently, deciding to amuse him. "I guess it seems cool enough to give him."

He roughly patted her back and handed the box over to her with a smile that was too perfect to break. Merida beamed at the man, sensing a bit of her father in him.

"And I'll give you the bow for free," he soon added.

"What? I can't do that." She was displeased with the idea, wanting to pay for it herself.

He waved his hand, disregarding her concerns. "Trust me, it's on the house. I'm glad my shop caught your attention enough to come in. You came in on your own so that must mean something. Are you sure you don't want to try dating my nephew?" He nudged her arm.

She giggled, balancing the box and bow in her arms. "Sorry, afraid not. The guy I have is a handful enough."

He shrugged, letting out a snort. "Had to try again to make sure." He took the bow from her, scrunching his lips at the weight of it. "Let me get you a better one with the complete set. This one is usually for display only."

"Oh, that would be great! Thank you!" she exclaimed happily.

He laughed joyfully and gave her a wink. "I'll just pack them up for you, and you can be sure to pay the elves at the front."

"Elves?" Merida inquired.

"It's what I call the workers, don't worry, I don't mean elves literally," he hollered in amusement.

Merida played along with an unconvinced chuckle. "Uh, yeah, sure." Though somehow, it wouldn't surprise her.

She gripped the box inside her hands, occasionally losing her grasp from how large it was. It was pretty heavy, but she managed not to drop it. She hoped Jack would like it, caring more on his reaction than their bet. For some reason, imagining his face light up in seeing her gift actually pleased her. As soon as that thought left her mind though, she panicked in humiliation. She caught herself blushing, shaking her head wildly from the delusional thought.

"As if I would care what he thinks," she muttered.

"Merida!" The jolly shop owner called out to her from the cashier, "We're ready for you."

"Oh!" She turned her head and quickly made her way towards the front.

She passed the box over the counter, allowing them to ring her up. The price wasn't too bad, given the circumstances. They put all her belongings inside the bag, passing it carefully to her.

"You sure you can carry all that?" he asked.

"I'm stronger than I look," she said, her expression soft with reassurance.

"I hope things go well with you and your boyfriend," he said.

"Huh?"

"You mentioned you guys just started dating, so I wish you luck."

"Oh, thanks, though I won't need it," she said, her eyes becoming downcast.

"Why do you say that?" he asked with concern.

"It's just…I have a feeling we won't be lasting long anyway," she answered uneasily, giving out a shrug like she didn't care, "So luck doesn't really matter to me."

"Don't say that," he said, "You never know."

"I know for sure about this one though."

"If that's the case, you can always look my nephew up."

She laughed at his persistence. "Nice try, but that's still not going to happen. Either way, I appreciate all your help."

She gave him and his co-worker a short nod and began to take her leave.

The man gave a humble wave. "It was nice meeting you, Merida."

"Same to you…. uh…" She stopped to ponder his name.

"North," he answered, crossing her tattooed arms across his chest.

Merida halted her breath, recalling the name somewhere before.

'_Isn't North Jack's uncle's name? I don't quite remember. Oh God, I hope not! Though last time I checked, Jack wasn't Russian, so maybe not.' _She was left worried at the possibility, knowing it would only cause problems if it was.

She shook her head though, having more pressing matters to intend to. They bid farewell to each other as she made her way back out. The air was a little bit warmer, suggesting it to be noon. She checked the time, finding herself to be late.

'_Jack must be back at the car by now,'_ she mused, picking up the bags from sagging onto the floor, _'I guess I've done all I can, time to head back.'_

She kept North's words inside her head when it came to her current relationship with Jack. It wasn't like she wanted things to work out between them. They weren't even a real couple, so why bother? They barely could get along as it was. When she was around him, everything just seemed complicated. Never would she have thought they would be together like this, not with him of all people. Fate had a weird way of putting him inside her life—so she decided to do what was best for them both—deny it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jack leaned against the car, slowly casting his gaze over to the time that was left on the meter. There was only two minutes left, and Merida was still nowhere to be found. He was getting bored, wondering if he should add more quarters into the meter until she arrived. Luckily he wasn't standing too long, but he was getting anxious. He never was one who could sit still, always needing to be on the run. After a moment, he slipped some change inside the machine and let it run for another twenty minutes. It was best to play it safe so she wouldn't get a ticket. Honestly, he didn't know why he cared. The girl was more trouble than she was worth—all for one book.

"Jack, I'm here." Her voice appeared, breaking his thoughts.

He looked up and caught a wisp of her hair blowing in the wind. "Took you long enough."

She fumed, her cheeks blowing up like a tomato. "Well, excuse me for trying to find something nice for you."

"Aww, how sweet," he said, pinching her cheek.

She swapped his hand away, placing the bags down onto the floor. "Not like carrying it was a picnic either."

"Yeah, seems like you went sort of big on this one," he said, trying to see through the bags.

She hid his gift behind her though. "Wait until we get inside the car."

He sighed with annoyance. "Fine, let's just hurry up. I want to see your face from what I got for you."

"Oh yes, sexy lingerie and flowers are the perfect things to buy for a woman," she answered cynically.

"Well, when you put it that way, sure," he countered defensively.

"You're so predictable, I should have known," she said, shaking her head.

"Hey, that's not all I got you, I got something special too," he said.

This made her curious, dropping her harsh demeanor into a softer one. "Is that so? Hard to believe."

"Just unlock the doors," he huffed.

She reached for her keys, pressing the switch to unlock it. The car gave out a beep, giving Jack the signal in opening it. They both got in, adjusting the bags into the back for them gain room. It was quiet inside the car when they closed the doors, blocking out the noise from outside. Merida didn't turn on the engine yet, finding they still had time. She sat comfortably where she was, anticipating Jack to speak first.

When he didn't, she took the initiative instead. "So, should I show you what I got you first, or should you?"

"Well, I'm not one to be rude, so, ladies first," he said, directing his hand towards her to present what she had.

She grimaced at the cliché act of courtesy, sighing nervously in response. She reached behind the back for her bag, handing it over to him with a light shove. Jack opened it and brought the box out in awe. His eyes glimmered like that of a child, turning the package to each side in order to inspect the details. Merida waited anxiously for him to say something, not sure if his feelings were out of false glee.

She bit her lip. "Look, I know it's lame, but…at least I think it's better than a lava lamp," she said.

"Merida, no, I…." he stopped to smile at her, "I love it. I never had one before, and it's something I always wanted. I'm just shocked you actually got something sweet for me. And you're right, it is better than a lava lamp, though that would have been cool to have too."

She gave him a perplexed look. "Oh, well, good…. because you got that too."

He looked back inside the bags, laughing softly in amusement when he found it. "Well, at least it's a blue one," he answered gratefully.

"I wish I did a bit better though. I sort of had help selecting yours," she gracelessly confessed.

"Hey, it's okay," he said, smiling handsomely, "I mean, you could have done worse."

His compliment caused her to be suspicious. "You're being awfully nice, which is weird. You must be up to something."

"Hey, I'm always nice, you just never been nice to me. Not like I need an agenda to prove that," he countered, "I mean, it's not like you're a Disney princess to be fond of, not with that attitude."

She fumed quietly to herself, quickly losing her temper. "You can be such a dick, do you know that? I can't believe women you've dated picture you to be this perfect prince, when you're nothing but an asshole who only does things for his own entertainment of fun."

"Oh, and you're any better?" he asked.

"Just give me my damn gift," she demanded hastily.

"Fine! Here!" He grabbed his bags, tossing it to her.

She roughly pulled out each item, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh look, flowers, how original." She soon lifted a piece of lingerie, blushing heinously at it with disgust. "Uh, great, it's like you weren't even trying at all." She shoved it back down, too embarrassed to even look at it.

"Just get to the bottom of it. I have more class than that," he barked, "Can't even take a joke," he quietly grumbled.

She glowered at him, following his demand. Her hands grazed over a small box at the bottom, lifting it up gently for her to see.

"Be careful, it's fragile," he firmly instructed.

"What is it?" she asked.

He shook his head in disbelief. "Just open it and see."

She twisted her lips in annoyance, but did as she was told. She unfolded the lid, expecting something vile inside—like a dildo telling her she should get laid—she wouldn't be surprised. What she did find though was totally something beyond her wonderment. The snow globe in her hands was beautifully decorated with a metal material that was ancient beyond her years. She cupped it gently, examining the design with large eyes of admiration. She was speechless, trailing her fingers around the sphere while shaking it lightly for the snow inside to fall.

Jack gazed at her intently, offering to speak, "It's a musical one. There's a knob you could turn from underneath it."

She flipped it over, beginning to turn the switch. It only took it a few seconds before the melody inside of it started to play. Merida was immediately stricken with emotions from her childhood, her mother's sweet lullaby echoing inside her deepest memories. She tried so hard to blink back the tears that began to form in her eyes, but alas, it was futile. The last thing she wanted was for Jack to see her like this—to see this side of her. He was too distracted by the set of bow and arrow she got for his sister to realize tears were cascading down her face. Her lips quivered with resistance, her chest tightening with a strain of sobs that just didn't want to come out.

"Hey, who's this for? Did you actually get this for my sister?" he asked, laughing lightly, "If it is, then great. It's all I need, another you around the house." He turned to her, getting worried from how quiet she was. "Merida…?" he asked, her whimpers instantly causing his walls to come down.

"Jack…" she whispered his name inside a wavering plea.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked in alarm, "You don't like it?"

Before he could even get an answer, she burst into tears. Jack sat stunned and confused, clearly lost for words. She cried silently to herself, wiping her face rapidly for the waterworks to stop. Jack patiently let her emotions settle, allowing her to cry. To think he would get something like this without even knowing what it would mean to her. Truly, he deserved more credit than she thought. After a couple of more minutes, she was able to calm herself down.

"How embarrassing," she stated dully, "Can't believe I broke down like that."

He chuckled lightly, feeling relieved. "You're telling me. What was that all about?"

"It's nothing," she mumbled, "Just consider yourself lucky that you won the bet."

"Wait, I did?"

"Wasn't me crying obvious enough?"

"I guess, though I still don't know why."

"Call it nostalgia from my childhood," she gently confided.

"So, I win?"

She sighed irritably. "I suppose so."

"Doesn't mean your gifts weren't great, Merida. Despite our bickering, I really did enjoy them."

"Well, I guess that's a relief in some sense. Since you know I'm not good at this sort of thing."

"As long as we're trying, that's all that matters. Though I got to say, you crying like that sure took me by surprise."

"Glad my tears were able to entertain you," she said with disdain.

He laughed. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just…it was a nice side to see. You shouldn't be ashamed to show it more often, especially to someone who isn't me."

Blood rushed all around her cheeks, cursing his charms. Why did he have to go and say something like that? The only reason she chose him for her scam was because she thought he wouldn't care. It would have been easier for her than allowing him to expose her like this. She gripped the stirring wheel, turning on the ignition.

"Let's just go, we wasted enough time here," she said, flicking on the engine.

He lay back with a grin. "Whatever you say, Sugar Bear."

They placed their gifts away, remaining to stay silent after that. By the time they were on the road, Merida's blush subsided—vowing to never let it happen again.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They reached Mary's school an hour early before her release. It was a quarter to 2:40pm, giving the pair nothing to do but to wait. Since their arrival, Jack was fast asleep. Merida kept playing with her phone, stealing glances at him. His eyelashes were pretty long, making his features look quite gentle. For a reckless guy, he sure knew how to groom himself. He breathed calmly inside his sleep, keeping his arms crossed with his head propped against the window. Merida wanted to laugh, becoming memorized by his face. Usually in movies, it was the guy watching the girl sleep, not the other way around. He looked at peace though—like a modern sleeping beauty.

To think he was her "boyfriend" during her family's stay was honestly quite strange. Before all this, he was probably having hundreds of girls waiting for him to return their calls, each yearning for his attention. Yet, here he was, doing everything he could just for his book to be published. The ticket for them to reach their personal goals was sure going to be a difficult one. A certain limit of effort had to be made, especially from her. In the end, that was the whole point for them to "hook" up in the first place. Hopefully they could manage it long enough for them to get there.

Soon the bell rang, disturbing the quiet atmosphere they were in. Jack groaned in his sleep, waking up sluggishly while trying to recollect his thoughts of where he was. He looked over at Merida who smiled mischievously at him.

"Had a nice nap there, sleeping beauty?" she asked.

He grinned deviously at her. "Were you watching me this whole time? Like what you saw did you?"

"Oh please, don't flatter yourself," she snapped.

"With my résumé, sweetheart, you learn to realize what you got," he told her, smirking devilishly with pride.

She shook head with disbelief. "Yeah, a list of diseases helps me a lot."

He straightened himself up while ignoring her remark, trying to spot his sister amongst the crowd of students that were coming out. "So once you drop Mary and I off, what are you going to do? You can always stay over to have dinner with us, if you like," he suggested, gazing gently at her.

Merida shrugged indecisively. "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'm just going to go home. Have a lot to prepare for this weekend. I think I'm just going to pick up your stuff and drop them off at my place and call it a day."

"This weekend is sure going to be fun," he said with a yawn.

"Remember, from this day forth, we got to act like we're a legitimate couple, minus the sex," she sternly advised.

"Aww, but those are the best parts," he playfully moaned.

"Like I said, not going to happen," she growled.

"This relationship is going to suck."

"Then it'll be easier for the both of us," she confirmed firmly.

They soon heard a knock by one of the windows. Mary waved at them, catching their attention to unlock the door. She opened it and got inside, noticing the bags in the back. She got excited, wondering if there was anything for her.

"So, what did you guys do today?" she asked eagerly.

"Just a bit of shopping," Merida answered.

"Had a good day at school?" Jack asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, it was great! How about you guys? Did any kissy stuff happen while I was in school?"

Merida gasped in horror. "No!"

Jack snickered from her reaction. "No, nothing like that; but she does owe me dinner."

"How that happened?"

"Well, we sort of made a bet and she lost. She got you something though, a toy bow and arrow."

"What? Really?" Mary asked excitedly.

Merida blushed and bashfully scratched the side of her neck. "It's nothing special, it's just something I used to have when I was a kid. I thought you might like it."

Jack pointed at one of the bags. "It's in that one."

His sister immediately dug her hands inside the bag, pulling the box out. "I can't wait to try it!" She beamed.

"Just try not to break anything inside the house," Jack warned.

Merida's lips spread into a devious grin. "Yeah, just use your brother as target practice; I know I would."

Mary giggled from the idea. "Finally, revenge for all those snowballs."

The newfound bond between the two stirred a mix of warmth and concern inside Jack. They had to be careful not to get too attached; if they do, someone was bound to get hurt. Merida tears was enough today for him to panic; he didn't want it to get any worse.

"Alright you two, let's just head home already," he scornfully announced.

Merida creased her face in annoyance. "What's with you all of a sudden? Forgot to have fun?"

"I'm the definition of fun, but I'm also hungry. So let's just go on our merry way already before my stomach starts eating itself," he moodily declared.

Merida switched the gear into drive after turning on the ignition. "Fine, Mr. Grumpy pants. We'll go home."

The ride was uncomfortably silent after that, which worried Mary greatly. She could see the tension of uncertainty between the two. When they left this morning together, all they had was animosity towards each other. She wondered if something happened that caused them to seem uneasy about their feelings for each other. They did seem closer than before, but she guessed that was the problem.

They got home through the rush hour, gathering what was theirs in the back before getting out. Mary turned to Merida with a hopeful smile.

"I'll see you later, Merida. It was nice meeting you. Hope we can spend more time together soon," she said.

"That sounds nice," she answered, her smile faltering slightly, "You take care."

Mary ran up the stairs, opening the door on her own after waving goodbye. Merida glanced over at Jack during this time, waiting for him to speak.

"Thanks for the ride, Merida" Jack mumbled, avoiding her eyes, "I'll just go upstairs real quick to get my stuff and bring it down for you to take home."

"Jack…" she spoke, gulping sharply, "…I never got to thank you for the gift, or for your help. I know it doesn't really mean anything, but…it means a lot to me. Sorry if I offended you in any way. It's just, I'm used to us being, you know, us."

He caught her gaze, offering her a smile. "Heh, don't get the wrong idea, or else you'll go soft on me," he lightly joked.

"I think that's something you don't have to worry about. I'm too good for you anyway," she said.

"Yeah…you are," he whispered, catching her off guard.

He soon shook his head, dispelling the atmosphere between them with something more discreet. "Well, let me get my stuff, so I can play with my train set already."

She gave a hopeless sigh. "God, you're so immature."

"At least I'm not horny with a copy of 50 Shades of Grey in my house!" he called, rushing up the stairs.

She blushed and shouted after him. "Not so loud, you idiot!"

He entered inside the duplex, laughing aloud for everyone to hear. Merida sat back, fuming quietly to herself. His antics could be so crude sometimes, especially when it involved her. While deciding to wait, she turned and spotted the snow globe that was tucked neatly beside her. It truly was beautiful, instantly washing away her anger. She took the glass sphere out, and shook it gently. The snow particles inside fell over the girl that was on top of the ice, creating a halo all around her. Merida smiled gently at the effect—keeping Jack in mind.

For there was also times like these, when he could just make everything glow.

End Chapter

Kiome-Yasha: "CRAP! This was a long chapter! I hate making long chapters, so much WORK! I still hope you guys enjoyed it though :3. Next chapter, the DunBroch family finally comes in 8D!"


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